Electrical interconnection between components and mounting frames in communications and electronic systems presently relies largely on individual wires assembled in cables for power distribution and signal transmission. In many systems, terminations from the circuit units are collected on a common backplane and appear as large fields of densely packed pins to which the conductors of interconnecting cables must be joined. A number of connector arrangements for accomplishing this interconnection function are known in the art. One such connector arrangement is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,316 of R. W. Rollings issued Jan. 3, 1978. In the connector arrangement there disclosed, electrical connection between the connector terminals and the cable conductors is achieved by slicing through the conductor insulations by means of bifurcated blades extending from one end of the connector terminals, which blades at the same time seize the bared conductors to make the connections. The individual cable conductors are first sorted and arranged on a first insulated member mounting the conductors in a pattern corresponding to the spacings of terminal blades retained in a second insulated housing member. The two members are adapted to be engaged one by the other, during which engagement the blades function as described to make the electrical connections. After this assembly of the members, a unitary connector plug is realized which may then be manually positioned as required to receive backplane or other terminal pins.
It will be appreciated that in order to achieve reliable electrical connections, the connector assembly must be securely held by, and maintained in contact with the backplane pins to prevent any loosening of the connections as the result of manual inadvertent movement of the assembly, vibration, temperature changes, and the like. At the same time, the connector assembly must provide for ready separation from the backplane pins in order to permit wiring changes and maintenance should such attention prove necessary. In one prior art arrangement, the connector is latched in place by means of a mounting interposed between the connector and the backplane. The mounting is fitted over the backplane terminal pins and is secured to particular ones of the pins which are clasped in the mounting. These pins are unavailable for electrical connection. The connector is then latched in place by mounting bails snapped behind connector housing shoulders. Although such a latching arrangement has in the past proved satisfactory, it has the disadvantage of adding another, separate part to the connector assembly, and, further requires the availability of a specialized tool operating on the mounting bails to effect its release. It is accordingly the problem of integrating in one unitary structure an electrical connector and its latching mechanism to which the apparatus of this invention is chiefly directed. It is also an objective of this invention to provide a new and novel latching mechanism for multipin electrical connectors.